Aunt Rose

38.

Rose woke up. She was confused, her head hurt. Her memory was foggy, she had a hard time remembering what had happened. But when she sat up and thought back, it hit her like a truck.

She covered her mouth once again, having to relive the night all over again. Seeing Lily's absent face, James dead on the floor. It hurt.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Miss. Evans," Rose heard a familiar male voice say.

Her head shot up and she saw Dumbledore standing there, no smile on his face.

"What are you doing here? Where am I? Where's Harry?!" Rose asked in quick succession, standing up from the couch she was sitting on.

Dumbledore put a hand out to calm her down. "Dear Harry is sleeping in your room in his cot. It took quite a bit of convincing to get him to sleep, though Minerva is quite talented at that," he said with a sad smile.

Rose looked to her room and then back at Dumbledore. "You know?" He nodded. "Then please, tell me what happened last night. How did he find them?" Rose questioned desperately.

"I think you already know the answer to that question. It is one that is hard to realize," Dumbledore said sadly.

Sirius.

"But he wouldn't! He could never do that..." Rose said as she trailed off. He had been acting strange that night, odd. Like he knew something. "It can't of been him. You have to understand—"

"Miss. Evans, after he left you last night, Mr. Black tracked down Mr. Pettigrew. He blew up an entire street of Muggles, as well as Peter. He killed 12 people and is now in Azkaban," Dumbledore explained to Rose. She had to sit once again.

Her brain was working over drive to process the information. Sirius killed Peter too? And he betrayed his best friend? Lily? How could he betray them all like that?

"No, no that's a mistake. It's impossible. It can't of been him. He has to be innocent, he'd never do that to James and Lily. Never. Not to me. We have to talk to him," Rose was saying, she was sure he was innocent. Sure he didn't do it.

"He is guilty, Miss. Evans. Please, I beg of you, do not pursue this. It does not do to dwell on our past. This will only drive you farther into your own despair. There is more we need to discuss," Dumbledore stated, firmly trying to convince Rose that her friend was guilty.

"There is one light to come out of this tragedy. Last night, Lord Voldemort attempted to kill Harry. But it didn't work. Tell me, you used the dead mans spell on Lily. How did she die?" Dumbledore asked bluntly as Rose kept her eyes on the ground.

"She died protecting Harry. She begged Voldemort not to kill him," Rose said in a hollow voice.

"Exactly. Her sacrifice protected Harry against a killing curse. The curse rebounded and hit Voldemort himself. The dark lord is gone. And the war is over," Dumbledore revealed.

All of this was so much for Rose to try and process. James and Lily dead. Peter dead. Sirius in Azkaban. And the war was over?

"But... how could Harry survive a killing curse? Not even a shield can protect you against it. Harry's just a baby!" Rose exclaimed, wanting more answers.